Subtlety
by Sakanoue
Summary: Renji does try, but he's such an idiot sometimes. Who knows what hearts he will break trying to get his True Love to notice him.


He had perused the gaudy sparkly cards and ostentatious red velvet covered chocolate boxes of Valentines Day with distaste. If he was going to confess to his love, it would not be done like this. No, Abarai Renji much preferred White Day. It was an excuse to be subtle, and to be rejected subtly- it was a rejection that Renji had prepared himself for. First of all, there was the age difference- which he was sure would be objectionable. Then there was the whole "superior officer-subordinate" thing, which could a) be awkward and b) be grounds for rejection on principal. And finally, the fanboy effect. It was really not good. Cute perhaps?

Renji sighed, it was no use attempting to convince himself, he thought, throwing away the white flowers he had bought in the general direction of his sink before straightening his uniform and stepping out of his front door. Flowers were far too obvious anyway. It was going to be a busy day, he smiled, full of subtle messages of his love and devotion. Even if he was to be rejected, he was going to be utterly satisfied that he had tried his very best.

The Fukutaicho was marching to work, absently checking that he had everything he needed. A list that he had compiled slowly and carefully in his head over two weeks of precise planning floated across his mind. Renji was rarely so focussed. One could almost expect his head to explode from the unprecedented concentration of sensible thought patterns.

He ran up the seven steps into sixth squad, missing the last two with a springy bound as per usual. "Whoa!"- It took exceptionally quick reflexes to dodge the floating pile of paperwork coming at him from nowhere. "Ah! A- Abarai Fukutaicho! Gomen nasai!" squeaked Richiki from behind the pile as Renji stopped his brisk walk to help him steady it.

"Ah...um...Richiki-kun. I didn't see you there!" he laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head and stooping to pick up a stray page. As he set eyes upon it he inwardly sighed. Perfect. He smiled again and put the piece of paper in the front of Richiki's kimono for him with a grin before marching on, a gleam in his eye.

He twisted as he walked under the other side of the courtyard, subordinates scattering as he took a few steps backwards to look at the great clock on the wall. He was early. Perfect. No Kuchiki Taicho telling him off for his laziness today! Maybe he would be relieved from "work" early? Renji cracked a smile and ascended up to the Taicho's office to welcome him for the day. Still steeped in tradition, the noble arrive unordained every morning, Renji showing his submission by laying out his Captain's haori for him. Opening the mahogany wardrobe, Renji carefully eased the silk from it's box and held it suitably as to dress his Taicho in it.

It was a waiting game that Renji had to play just this once. Usually he arrived at the same time or marginally later than Kuchiki Taicho. But Renji could tell that he was coming all the same. There was a buzz in the air when Byakuya approached. His light steps echoed along the hallway, the door sliding open. Immediately Renji bowed and greeted the noble. "Renji." Kuchiki Taicho replied simply with a nod, looking intently at his Fukutaicho as he held out the Haori for Byakuya to slip is arms into it. Carefully, Renji straightened it on the broad shoulders, admiring how much better, more natural the Captain looked with it on. He backed away.

"Thank you for your...punctuality….Fukutaicho." Byakuya smiled gently to himself as he turned and walked to sit down at his broad oak desk. "Your paperwork for the day will arrive at 10 AM precisely. You may use the interim to train." his Taicho ordered and turned his head to his own mountain of paper. "Hai, Kuchiki-Taicho." Renji bowed low in thanks and rushed out of the room respectfully, heart rushing too in anxious anticipation. Things were already going well this morning. He had had an encounter with his true love and it had seemed to work.

Where was Richiki? Training was essential for them both, and they made fabulous sparring partners and therefore had a wonderfully close relationship with each other. Renji would train with no other. "Oi! Training? You got a few hours?" Renji called to the young man, who seemed to be sat under a tree devotedly worshipping an oddly folded piece of paper. "Ha-Hai!!" he called back, stuffing the paperwork back into his robes carefully and running to his Fukutaicho across the lawn. "Come on, we wouldn't want ta' make a mess of Taicho's garden." he winked, laughing quietly at how Richiki kept a few respectful paces behind him at all times.

The training courtyard was a large sandy square surrounded by buildings on all sides and lined with benches that gradually acquired piles of towels and various belongings of all shapes and sorts: shoes, swords, underwear. Renji was surprised the Byakuya had not ordered it to be cleared up recently. It was the only relatively messy part of the whole squad. Even this messy part of sixth was beautiful on a day like this, though. It was clear skied, and hot. If not a bit humid. They would really work up a sweat. Renji grinned, he did so love getting messy.

Because of the early hour it was fairly deserted in the arena and Renji padded a good distance away and drew his sword. He grinned at Richiki's determined face and wallowed in the humming of Reiatsu. "You ready?"

Arm slung around the younger man, Renji wiped the sweat from his brow and laughed. "Pheeew!" He patted Richiki on the shoulder and pushed him gently down onto the bench in the relative shade. "You fight good," he grinned.

"Thank you Abarai Fukutaicho."

"Y'can called me Renji if y'want. Anyway, y'should work on ya offensive skills a bit more. You're defendin' too much and ya never gain any ground that way. K?"

"Thank you, R-Renji-sama."

The Fukutaicho laughed and handed him one of the piled up fluffy white towels to wipe himself down. Richiki blushed as he took it and glanced up to the clock over the rooftops. It's wide face was the focus and symbol of the whole squad complex. "It's almost ten o'clock, Renji-sama."

"Oh..well…" Renji got up slowly and turned to the young man with a smile. "Matta ne, then, Richiki."

And off he marched again. He was determined today not to be late at all- he wanted to set himself a challenge. He still felt overheated as he ran up the stairs to Kuchiki Taicho's office at the same brisk pace, passing his own office on the way. Knocking and entering all in one movement, Renji was entirely aware once again of being in his Taicho's presence. "Ah. Renji," Byakuya looked him up and down, then sighed disapprovingly. "I don't know whether I prefer you turning up late or dirty." He continued his writing.

Thoroughly embarrassed, Renji excused himself and went to wash his face. Even he had to admit that such a comment meant he truly had stepped over the line. "Sumimasen for my error," he bowed upon return. Byakuya simply handed him a polished white folder of paperwork and waved his dismissal. "Ne..Taicho...do you suppose I might leave the door between our offices open for better ventilation? It's a hot day an' all." he slipped back to colloquialism. "If you so wish, Renji. Would you be so kind as to bring me some tea?"

"Hai, Kuchiki Taicho." Renji bowed and slipped through the adjoining doors to his office to place the folder on his desk swiftly.

Behind a lacquered screen he carefully brought out a fresh cup and set about making the tea. He had found this to be another one of those traditions in sixth squad. Though even he admitted to finding it soothing. He filled the white porcelain cup to it's painted pink cherry blossom rim. Renji smiled- this was his Captain's favourite cup. He did not know how the Taicho held such a dainty thing to drink from it without shattering it by accident. "There you are Taicho," he set it down on the smooth surface of the desk, Byakuya moving it quickly onto a coaster so as not to mark the wood. The Captain smiled and took a sip. "Arigatou."

Mission successful, Renji shrank quietly back to his desk to fill out the dreaded paperwork. Read, sigh, dip brush, sign, move across the table. Renji looked at his pile. Was it just or him or was there not much of if today?

It must have been at about two o'clock that Byakuya started to receive his Whites Day gifts from anonymous girls in the squad. The little unseated shinigami that was charged with the post seemed very awkward as he peeked around the door with the first present of the day: an enormous bunch of white lilies. "Why are you bringing those in here, Yamada?" Byakuya sighed as they were set down on the corner of his desk. "They're for you, Taicho.." the boy whispered carefully. "I beg your pardon?" Byakuya frowned.

"Ah...Taicho….it's Whites Day today." Renji explained gently, with a jovial smile. Byakuya frowned again and said "Of course, how bothersome." Then went dutifully back to his paperwork. This happened every year, Renji mused, yet he never remembered. This year Byakuya received four boxes of white chocolates, eleven bouquets of white flowers, seven white silk kimono and two pairs of lacy underwear with rendezvous notes attached. He looked at them witheringly, and waited for the blushing Yamada to leave before enquiring "Does this mean that you should like an early dismissal from work today, Renji?"

"Nar, Taicho. It wouldn't do me any good. The person I...well...he works late too."

"Ah. I see….oh not again?" Byakuya sighed as Yamada burst in again. The boy smiled. "Ano..it's for Abarai Fukutaicho."

Both the officers frowned as the silk sash was placed on Renji's desk and Yamada took his leave. Renji looked at it sceptically, feeling Byakuya's eyes on him. It was a moment before he noticed a delicate word embroidered in red on one corner. It read simply "Richiki". Renji panicked, his heart doubling in speed as he glanced at Kuchiki Taicho. But...Renji's mind flashed. The paperwork and the towel! He had done something awful! In trying to subtly hint to his love he had become careless and deceived another. "Who is it from, Renji?" Byakuya enquired quietly.

"I...um...from the wrong person." he answered sadly.

"Indeed? Even I have received something from the right person today, Renji. How unfortunate for you."

"You have a 'right person', Taicho?" Renji asked hopefully.

"Yes. He seems to have been very attentive and given me two white items, yet very oblivious and has not yet noticed my more subtle gift." The Captain smiled. "Or perhaps he has not yet been dutiful enough to examine his paperwork thoroughly."

Renji's eyes flickered to the white folder of paperwork. White! What a fool he had been! And sure enough on the open inside cover in the perfect handwriting he had been admiring on the sheet he had given to Richiki. It read "From Byakuya."

"Well. You know, I can hardly blame him, he's never going to get any paperwork done with such an attractive man as yourself to distract him...Byakuya." The two officers smiled at each other over the unwanted white roses and silk. It was something from a dream. So much for rejection, Renji grinned.

"Perhaps I should go and explain the situation to Richiki?" the Captain sighed. Renji walked across the room to his Captain.

"No offence, Byakuya, but you can be scary sometimes. Probably best to just…" he laid a gentle kiss on Byakuya's cheek.

"I see..." whispered Byakuya as he pulled Renji's lips to his firmly and kissed him.

The Captain decided that even though he enjoyed the purity of white, the passion of red was always preferable.


End file.
